THE K I N G ’S BUS I NES S cerning it because they are no t in stru cted w ith reference to it. Designed by ou r Lord to be th e most beautiful, helpful and joyful of all th e church gatherings, it has become to many a p erfunctory perform ance, observed a t stated tim es in a stilted manner, which many people avoid because of un sp irit ual notions as to th e ir worthiness to come to the Table. L et us look a t it in its S criptural setting : In th e background is the F east of the Passover. This feast is th e foundation upon which th e Lord H im self bu ilt th is memorial feast called H is “supper.” The Passover F east commemorated th e deliverance of Israel from Egypt. I t spoke of th e lamb, of th e blood on the door-post, th e Paschal meal, th e b itte r herbs, th e unleavened bread. I t spoke of th e safety, certainty and enjoym ent of those who had be lieved God’s Word and who in th e aw ful n igh t of judgm ent upon H is ene mies, rested secure and contented. The Lord Jesus was on th e way to th e Cross and had said, “W ith desire have I desired to ea t th is Passover with you.” God, m anifest in th e flesh, long ing before He suffered to break bread w ith His little group of followers, long ing for th e ir fellowship and sympathy. When He in stitu te d th e supper, it was w ith th e same wine and unleavened bread He had used a t th e Passover F east, and it was to be a feast to com memorate two things— His death upon th e cross, and His coming in th e clouds to have H is loved ones w ith Himself. How simple and yet how sacred is th is feast! The emblems— th e bread and wine— th e body and blood of God’s Son,—both given fo r th e salva tion of lo st men. His sp irit He gave to His F ath e r, saying on th e cross, “F a th er, receive my sp irit.” There was a / complete yielding of all He possessed for th e atonem ent of our sins,__a broken body to become bread for hun gry souls. He had said “ I am th e bread of life, — b u t He could not become
651 bread for us w ithou t giving H is body. When we ta k e th e bread a t th e com munion table and assim ilate it in our eating, He in some way—-in a super n a tu ra l way so n a tu ra l to Him— gives streng th to our sp iritu a l body; and when we take th e cup which represents th e blood,— th e life He so freely gave for us, for “ th e life is in the blood,”__ He m inisters to our sp iritu al lives. If we say “How can these things b e?" th e answer is as it was to Nicodemus, “The wind bloweth where it listeth .” It is a sp iritu al law : “As oft as ye ea t * * * ye do show fo rth th e Lord’s death, till He come,” .in th e glory. No tim e set for th e feast— any tim e; no place, anywhere; no form— “Do th is in rem em brance of me.” J u s t a plead ing, earn est desire upon the p a rt of the Lord to H is followers— “Remember me.” W hat is the lesson? We are ap t to forget Him. He enters into a blood covenant w ith us. H e will never forget us. He will always respond. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He longs fo r our love. He pleads w ith us Don’t forget Me. Don’t fo rg et how I love you; how I keep you in remem brance. Keep Me in remembrance. Come to my tab le.” And if we do, divested of every b it of superstition, having a h e a rt for- Him,— lo, a t the tab le is a strange blessing for us; a strang e tugging a t our h ea rts; a strange m anifestation of H im self; known no where else. PRACTICAL POINTS (1) The communion of th e Lord's Sup per is for those who have come into union w ith the Lord. (2 ) Our Lord longs for fellowship w ith His loved ones. (3 ) The communion circle is composed of communicants. (4) Christ, H imself, is the center of th e communion table. (5 ) It is a “memory m eeting’ where we remember two things: th e cross
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